Undergraduates

First-Year MIT Students

DesignPlus First-Year Learning Community

Incoming undergraduates can apply to join DesignPlus, a First-Year Learning Community that explores how design shapes the world—and our place within it. Through a curated set of classes, workshops, and community events, students engage in hands-on learning from day one.

M1T — Makerspace 1st Year Training

We offer a special maker training program for First Years to quickly get you up to speed on the most common tools, get you access to key makerspaces, and get some Makerbucks to spend on supplies. The trainings are run by experienced student mentors and include practice on machines such as laser cutters, 3D printers, drill presses, and bandsaws.

Study Design at MIT

Design Major and Minor

Undergraduates can pursue design more formally through the Design Major and Minor within the Department of Architecture. These programs blend theory and practice, fostering creativity through hands-on studios, critical seminars, and interdisciplinary study. Students explore design as both a technical craft and a cultural lens, learning to develop solutions while engaging with societal, historical, and technological contexts in preparation for dynamic careers across industries.

MIT D-Lab Courses

Through MIT D-Lab courses, students acquire competency in the participatory design process, understand and apply principles of engineering and design, engage in hands-on shop work, learn to think critically about theories of development, and obtain meaningful experiences in the field — all preparing them to continue socially and environmentally conscious work that addresses issues of global poverty.

Many classes are cross-listed with other departments, and students from Wellesley, Harvard, and other Boston-area schools may cross-register.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

MIT undergraduates can also participate in design-focused research through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). MAD-affiliated faculty, including those at D-Lab, regularly host students as research assistants, offering hands-on experience in areas such as sustainable energy, mobility, water, and community-centered design.

Design across the Institute

Students can also browse and enroll in design-related classes offered across the Institute — from science, architecture and engineering to media arts and management.

Access Makerspaces

MAD-affiliated makerspaces across campus offer undergraduates a wide variety of tools and training to prototype, build, and test ideas — from woodworking and textiles to robotics and digital fabrication.

The N51 MIT D-Lab shop only supports students taking D-Lab classes or working on international development projects.

Attend Public Events

Throughout the year, MAD hosts public events featuring leading designers, makers, and thinkers. Students are always welcome—come for a workshop, a conversation, or just to see what others are creating.

Apply for Funding

MAD offers undergraduates direct support for their own ideas and initiatives. Students can apply for:

• Call for Events — funding to organize public-facing programs such as talks, workshops, or performances.
• Mini-grants — flexible support for student-led projects and activities aligned with MAD’s mission during the Independent Activities Period (IAP).